Pachisuro gaming machines are well known. Certain known Pachisuro gaming machines include a housing which supports three mechanical reels and three input buttons. Each input button is associated with a different one of the reels. The housing also supports a protective see-through glass panel in front of the reels. The player can see the spinning reels through the glass and when the reels are stopped, the player can see one or more symbols of each of the reels through the glass.
More specifically, in one such known Pachisuro gaming machine, after placing a wager, a player activates an input device which causes the Pachisuro gaming machine to spin each of the mechanical reels. For each different reel, the Pachisuro gaming machine enables the player to see the reels spinning through the glass and to stop each respective reel by activating the input button associated with the reel. When a respective input button is activated, the mechanical reel associated with the activated input button will not stop instantaneously. Rather, the reel associated with the activated input button moves a designated number of symbol positions (e.g., two, three or four) past the stop position of the reel when the input button is activated trying to stop on a pre-selected symbol combination. If one or more predetermined winning combinations of symbols are displayed on one or more paylines when the reels stop spinning, the Pachisuro gaming machine provides the player one or more awards.
When playing such a known Pachisuro gaming machine, if a player can readily see the symbols on the reels through the glass as the reels are spinning, it is easier for the player to activate the input buttons to cause all three mechanical reels to stop spinning such that they display one or more predetermined winning symbol combinations. Depending on the speed of the reels, highly skilled players are able to identify opportune times to activate each respective input button to improve their chance of receiving an award.
To compensate for this variation in player skill, many known Pachisuro gaming machines are reflexive. Reflexive gaming machines typically increase or decrease the payout associated with a play of the game based on the payout history of the gaming machine. In a simple example for a reflexive gaming machine, the desired payback percentage is 90% and the gaming machine tracks its payback percentage for a defined period such as 100 games or in between bonus events. The game has at least two different payback percentage models in the software. One is below the target percentage (e.g., 90%) and the other is above it. For example, Paytable A may have a return of 70% and Paytable B may have a return of 125%. If the actual payback percentage after the first ten tracked games is 150%, the game will use Paytable A until the actual payback percentage is less than the target 90%. Once the actual payback percentage goes below 90%, the game will ‘reflex’ and switch to Paytable B to move the actual payback percentage back towards 90%. In such case, for a determined number of spins, the gaming machine causes the reels to stop spinning such that it is more or less likely (depending on which paytable is active) that predetermined winning symbol combinations are displayed when the reels stop spinning, regardless of when the player presses the input buttons of each of the reels. In this type of reflexive gaming machine, the gaming machine determines whether or not to provide an award for one or more plays of the game based in part on the actual awards provided for previous plays of the game.
Such known reflexive Pachisuro gaming machines create multiple issues in the field. First, reflexive gaming machines are not allowed in many gaming jurisdictions, including most United States gaming jurisdictions. In these jurisdictions, regulations mandate that the probability of generating game outcomes for certain types of games be the same for each play of the game. For example, for a slot type gaming machine, the probability of receiving a jackpot must be the same for all plays of the game, and must be completely independent of any prior outcome or award. Reflexive gaming machines take prior outcomes and their awards into account for subsequent plays of the game. Thus, the probability of a winning outcome being displayed is not the same for each play of the game. Accordingly, reflexive gaming machines do not comply with such regulations.
Second, when playing such known reflexive Pachisuro gaming machines, depending on when players play the game, they may not be rewarded for their skill. For example, a non-skilled player could receive a very high payback by simply playing immediately after a player who has been on a losing streak. Likewise, a highly skilled player could receive a very low payback, by playing after a player who was on a winning streak.
Third, traditionally Pachisuro style games do not offer a very large jackpot. Due to the player's influence in stopping the reels and the reflexive nature, the jackpots are typically 15 credits, or a bonus round may pay out up to 400 credits for a 3 credit bet. This is typically true with other payback skill games such as AWP machines from Europe and the United Kingdom. Players would find Pachisuro and skill slot machines more desirable if they had larger jackpots like most casino style slot machines.
Accordingly, a need exists for a non-reflexive Pachisuro-style gaming device which enables players of all skill levels to enjoy Pachisuro-style gaming, and offers a limited skill component which rewards highly skill players with the potential for higher awards.